I work in a LTC/Subacute Rehab Unit. Typically I'd have 19 patients or so. Now I have 28. One nurse. Manager is in meetings all day for the most part, so she can't help too often.
I have to say: I am getting really stressed. I'm feeling frustrated. There's so much charting, PRN's, etc. I send out a patient to the hospital on almost a weekly basis, so it's not like these patients are stable, long term care people with naturally occurring ailments.
So I approach my unit mgr and tell her about the stress I'm feeling. She says it happens all the time when the census is high; the nurse on the floor gets stressed, and then there's a lot of call-ins. Yes, I can see that. Burnout City. If they know this happens, why don't they do something about it? I told her I get nearly nauseated when the marketing girl comes strolling down the hall with her pleasant radio-d.j. sounding voice, heels click-click-clicking down the hall with flower in a vase in hand, ready to hand over a new admission (during med pass with roughly 10 diabetics who are unstable). I nearly want to each time I see her coming.
They have a BUDGET (for profit organization) they have to adhere to.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....When I learned that the Marketing girl.....gets a BONUS CHECK....thus the smile on her lovely face.......for increasing the census....thereby bringing more money into the facility.....
Can you imagine my disgust?
Is this typical? Is this the norm? Throw your front line troops (nurses and Cena's) under the bus, burn 'em out, fire 'em, re-hire (this is the norm where I work; the turnover is HIGH).......and....
GIVE BONUS CHECKS to the non-clinical staff who have no clue how hard we work?????
I've been written up for overtime. How do I manage to cover my butt (chart), get all of my work done (believe me, my pace is beyond fast; I race down the halls), and not have overtime? I get told, "We are a 24 hour facility...pass it to the next nurse." (Yah, and have the next nurse pass on to the next....then when there is a care conference they pick up on the fact that some of the admission paperwork is incomplete, and "Why wasn't this done? Why wasn't that done?"
Sorry. I just had to get this off my chest. The only thing that keeps me going there is the learning experience, I like most of the girls I work with, the commute is not bad at all, and it's a job in this hard economy. So, I probably should just bite my tongue and be thankful. I know.
If I worked in the LTC where Emma works, I'd march right into the DON's office and demand to know why marketing personnel get a bonus yet there is 1 nurse for 28 patients.
Be sure and throw some spare change at his feet after his performance.
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.
I left this for profit hospital as soon as I could, shortly after this event. I was very disappointed. The majority of my time in hospitals has been in the not for profit, public hospital environment. I would not work in the for profit environment ever again. In case anyone is wondering, it was an HCA hospital, Hospital Corporation of America.
each time I see her coming.
BradleyRN
520 Posts
Be sure and throw some spare change at his feet after his performance.